Doctor facing felony for faking letter to get out of speeding ticket

Oroville >> A doctor faces a felony fraud charge for creating a false document to allegedly get out of a speeding ticket.

During an appearance at Butte County Superior Court Thursday, Dr. Nickesh Pravin Shah, 46, of San Francisco, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on felony charges of preparing false evidence and offering false evidence at a trial, according to a press release from the Butte County District Attorney's Office. Shah acknowledge there was sufficient evidence to send his case to a felony jury trial by waving his rights.

On April 3, 2013, Shah was driving at 95 mph on Highway 99 near Estates Drive when he was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol Officer, according to a press release from the DA's office. Shah told the officer he was on his way to a medical emergency, but the CHP officer called the clinic Shah worked for in Chico, and learned there was no medical emergency. Shah was just running late to work so he was cited for speeding, according to the press release.

Two weeks later, Shah allegedly fabricated a letter from the clinic claiming he was indeed going to a medical emergency and submitted it to the Butte County District Attorney's Office for dismissal of the speeding ticket, according to the DA's office.

A trial was held on Nov. 22, 2013 to determine if Shah had been speeding in April, and the alleged fabricated letter was introduced as evidence to excuse the ticket, according to the press release. The District Attorney's Office showed the letter was fake and Shah was found guilty of speeding and fined $500.

On Jan. 10, the District Attorney's Office filed charges for preparing false evidence and offering that same false evidence into trial.

On April 3, exactly one year after the speeding ticket, Shah will be back in

court to set a date for his trial.

"Our office's mission statement is to do justice, as no one is above the law nor

beneath its protection," according to a statement from District Attorney Mike Ramsey. "Justice requires that we take seriously any attempt to subvert our court

system by submitting false evidence. This doctor lied his way from a simple infraction and fine into a felony and potentially three years in county prison."